John d



(No Mdel.)

J. D. BRAY. `FOUNTAIN PEN. No4/118,394. Patented Dec. 31, 1889.

N. PETEnS. Phuta-umngnpher. wmngtm. D. C,

UNITED STATES PATENT GEEICE.

JOI-IN D. BRAY, OFMONTREAL, QUEBEC, CANADA.

FOUNTAIN-PEN.

SPECIFICATION forming partof Letters Patent No. 418,394, dated December 31, 1889.

Application filed August 20, 1889. Serial No. 321.362. (No model.)

`pointed out in, the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure l represents a longitudinal section of a fountain pen-that is, fountain penholder with attached pen-elnbodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a similar section of the forward portion of the same upon a larger scale; and Fig. 3 is a like View to Fig. 2, showing a slightly-modified construction of one of the details of the instrument.

The pen staff or holder, which is tubular, may be made' of different materials and sizes, and is constructed substantially as follows:

A indicates 'the tubular ink-reservoir portion of the staff, and B its tubular pen-holding section, which is of reduced exterior diameter at its oppositejends b c and of the same exterior diameter at its intermediate body portion as the ink-reservoir A. The rear end part b of said tubeB is fitted to slide in a close manner within the forward end portion of the ink-reservoirA, for a purpose that will be hereinafter explained. This tube B has entered within it from its rear end a short tube d, of soft rubber or other-suitable elastic material, arranged to slightly project beyond the back edge of the tube B, which latter is also iitted in atight manner with a suction and feeding tube C, preferably of hard rubber, arranged to project out through and beyond the forward end of the tube B, and constructed to terminate in front in a curved nose-piece having a contracted opening and upper cut-away portion in its outer end for the purpose of supplying the pen with ink.

Said tube C and nozzle may either be made separate or in a single piece, and the forward body portion of such tube is constructed of a reduced diameter externally to receive the pen D between it and the forward end por# tion c of the pen-holding tube B.

The soft-rubber tube d forms a Valve-seat for a stationary valve E, attached to a rod e, which extends centrally backward. This valve may either be in the form of abutton of lesser diameter than the interior of the ink-reservoir A, within which it isarranged, as shown in Figs. l and 2 of the drawings, to admit of the ink passing said valve when the latter is open, in which case the duct through the tube dwill serve as a guide to the button or forward shank thereof, which forms a front extension of the rod e; or said valve E `may be a conical one, of the same diameter as the interiorof the ink-reservoir A, with an ink-y duct f through it. ,In either case said valve will hermetically close the passage to and through the feed-tube C, when the rear portion b of the pen-holding section B is slid fully back within .the ink-reservoir A. The tubular valve-seat d has, in all adjustments of the tube B, theaperture through it in constant communication with the duct of the feeder or feeding-tube C.

G is the iiexiblenor compressible air-bulb arranged in rear of the ink reservoir A and connected at its forward end therewith, as by a shouldered Iilling-piece g, and at its rear end with a shouldered cylindrical plug or closing-piece g', which latter is constructed to receive over it a removable elongated cap H, that, when it is desired to carry the whole instrument in the pocket, may be taken off of the plug g and be slipped over the pen and the reduced forward end portion c of the tube B. The filling-piece g has an air-duct z' through it, connecting the interior of the bulb G with the interior of the ink-reservoir A. Said filling or closing piece g and the closing piece or plug' g are connected by the backward extension of the valve-rod e, which maybe of one piece with said filling-pieces, and also integral with the tube B, if desired; or the said parts may be constructed of separate pieces made to form a rigid or united whole. Vhen the stationary cone-valve is usedsuch as shown in Fig. 3-then the rod c is omitted, so far as its extension to the valve is concerned. The flexible bulb Gis of prolate spheroidal form, with necks at its opposite ends, which form a slip-joint with the fillingpieces g g', and in the whole construction of the instrument, including its valve and adjustable pen-holding section, I dispense with screw-threaded connections and fiexible Washers,which are apt to clog,leak,or otherwise foul. By the extension of the rod e through the lilling-piece g, through-that is, within-the bulb G, and its connection with the rear closing-piece g, the bulb Gis kept from sagging and the Whole pen-sta heldin line.

A fountain-pen thus constructed will give the writer full control at all times over the ink in it, and it may be readily charged or cleaned without separating it. Thus when writing with the instrument the flow of ink from the reservoir to the pen proper is established and adjusted, first, by drawing slightly outward the pen-holding section B from the ink-reservoir A, so as to open the valve E or break the closing connection of the tubular valve-seat d with said valve, and, secondly, by the Writer exerting a more or less slight pressure with his thumb and index-finger upon the fiexible bulb G, to expel, by com;- pression of the air, ink in the reservoir A to and through the feeding-tube C. After finishingwriting the pen-holding section B slid backward again Within the reservoir A to bring the soft-rubber tube or valve-seat d up against the valve E, which will completely stop the outflow of ink, and after which the cap H, that served to prolong the staff, may be slipped over the vreduced portion c of t-he tube B and pen carried by the holder, when the whole instrument can be carried with perfect safety in" anyposition whatever in the pocket.

The instrument may be used with almost any kind of pen, which may be changed for another when desired, and as it is the double manipulation of the bulb and pen-holding section relatively to the valve which serves to give the writer control over the ink when writing, with provision for shutting off the flow when desired, so, to charge the instrument with ink or to wash it out with water when required, all that is necessary is to draw the tube B more or less outward from the reservoir A to open the valve E, and, after inserting the outer end of the feeder C in ink or water, as required, to manipulate the bulb G as a flexible-bulb syringe is Worked.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patentl. The combination, with a tubular penstaff composed in part of a tubular ink-reservoir and a compressible bulb in communication by an air-duct with said reservoir, of a longitudinally-adjustable pen-holding tubular section in socketed connection by a slipjoint with the ink-reservoir, and provided ``with a feeding-tube having a feeding-nozzle at its yforward end and a tubular valve-seat in its rear in constant communication with the duct of the feeding-tube, and a longitudinally-stationary valve carried by the penstaff and controlling fioW through the feedingtube, substantially as specified.

2. The combination of the ink-reservoir tube A, the pen-holding tube B, fitted to slide at its rear end within the forward end of said tubular ink-reservoir, the feeding-tube C, re-

duced in front and having a fixed position within the tube B, the elastic tubular valveseat d, in constant communication with the,

JOHN D. BRAY.' Vitnesses:

C. GORMAN, HENRY S. SHAW. 

